Built on a lot that originally looked onto the mountain in an Outremont neighbourhood, this multi-coloured rubblestone and wood house progressively lost much of the light that came through its windows due to adjacent residential property development.

The goal of the renovation, therefore, was to increase the light inside the home and bring more visual interconnection to the rooms without losing the essence of the original construction. The owners wished to preserve certain architectural attributes, such as the house’s mahogany features, slate floors, and abundant windows, both in the front and back of the house.

The main challenges the designers faced were how to revamp the ground floor spaces, backyard, stairway, and upstairs bathroom. The firm Daoust Lestage, architecture et design urbain came up with solutions that included allowing the light to penetrate into the house using light shafts, and opening up the kitchen, living room, and dining area.

Mirrored surfaces let the light reverberate, inside and out. But the most interesting feature of this renovation is, hands down, the wall in the yard outside, which reflects the faintest glimmer, both during the day and at night. Surprisingly, the addition of this wall still leaves allows for plenty of greenery, and the stylized terrace is even emphasized.

The lightness exuded by this splendid renovation, which is both sober and respects modern architectural heritage, was the rational behind the jury’s choice in awarding it the Residential space, 1,600 sq. ft. or less award.